Turn on Two-factor Authentication in LinkedIn now!

If you’re on LinkedIn, you probably saw posts circling the Internet in various outlets about the stolen LinkedIn credentials. Whether you had LinkedIn in 2012 or not, here are two steps you can take to protect yourself going forward:

Login and change your password

Turn on Two-factor authentication

“What is… Two-what??,” you might be asking. The fact that you’re wondering is a good thing. Basically, when you login to your account with your username and password, LinkedIn will send a code to your mobile device, which you also enter on the website. The code is valid for a set period of time, usually 60 seconds or less. This allows heightened security; if bad guys have your credentials, they cannot login as you, because they will also need the code delivered to the device. In geek speak, this is logging in using both something that you know (your password), and something you possess (the single-use code). Hence the name: two-factor authentication.
Google did a great job explaining this a few years ago, when setting up two-factor for Google accounts. Watch that video here.

Now that you have a great understanding of what two-factor is, here are some links that show exactly how to turn it on in your LinkedIn account. This took me less than five minutes, and it even worked seamlessly on a mobile device. Be safe!

Posted by Elvis Huff

Elvis Huff worked as an officer and network administrator for 12 years with the Lebanon Police Department and has also served as an adjunct professor in information systems at Cumberland University. Read More »

Online Security

If you have questions about online security, you’ve come to the right place! WB&T Security Director Elvis Huff has answers galore on staying safe in cyberspace. From tips on shopping securely to combating business-hacking fraudsters, Elvis can help you steer clear of danger (and keep things fun) in today’s complex technological landscape.